Fireplace heating and draft-control apparatus



J. s. BENNETT FIREPLACE HEA'HNG AND-DRAFT GONTROLIAPPARATUS Filed Ju1y'22, 1924 2 Sheets- Shut 1 INVENT R W S". un-x BY W ATTORNEY May 12, 1925. 1,537,736

' J. S. BENNETT FIREPLACE HEATING AND DRAFT CONTROL APPARATUS Filed July 22, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v A 5 7 f0 INVENTOR inn 5. M

ATTORNEY Patented May 12, 19 25.

'UNITED STATES P ATE NT OFFICE.

JOSEPH S. BENNETT, 0F HAMMONDSPOR'I', NEW YORK.

, FIREPLACE HEATING AND DRAFT-CONTROL APPARATUS.

Application filed July 22, 1924. Serial No. 727,416.

novel-fireplace and room heating apparatus" which is capable of heating and regulating the temperature of a fire lace room more efi'ectively than has hereto ore been possible, and particularly heating devices and apparatus whereby chimney draft control and efficient heating and temperature regulation are effected in a manner to avoid annoying drafts through the room. A further object is an apparatus of this character which is readily adaptable to different shapes, dimensions and sizes 'offireplacesand which may be assembled and installed in such fireplaces regardless of their shape and dimensions with marked ease and facility. A still further object is an apparatus'of this character which is of simple construction and comparatively inexpensive to build and install. For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings forminga part of this applica tion wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a fireplace in which my novel heating and draft control apparatus is installed; 7

Fig. 2 is a section through the chimney fireplace and a side elevation of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of-such apparatus indicating the method of installation;

Fig. 4 is a section through an element of the apparatus illustrating the method of construction and assembly thereof;

Fig. -5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:; \j r Fig. 6 is a section through a portion of the apparatus'indicating the method of assembly and the operation of the draft control;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section illustrating more or less diagrammatically a slightly different air collecting arrangement, and

Figs. 8 and 9 are views of a draft starting device which may be used to advantage with my novelapparatus. I

Referring to the drawings where similar sides of su reference numerals designate similar parts throughout, I have Indicated a fireplace having the side walls 1, the back wall 2, thechimney throat 3, the off-set chimney 4 and the upper wall 5 of the fireplace. There is also indicated a damper 6 which is hinged at 7 to the back wall 2 of the fireplace for controlling the chimney throat 3. My novel apparatus comprises an elongated collecting header 7 which rests upon the hearth and bears against the back wall 2 of the fireplace and a distributing header 8 dis osed at the top of the fireplace and carried y the up er wall 5 of the fireplace, together with a mu tiplicity of flexible heating and distributing tubes 9 attached at their lower ends with the header 7 a and at their upper ends with the header 8. The header 7 is provided with a pair of openings on one side adjacent the ends thereof for the reception of the communicating and air conveying pipes 10. The latter at their free ends communicate with the hollow pedestals 11, the latter being open at their lower ends and adapted to readily fit over the air intakes 12 disposed in the top of the atmospheric air openings 13, it being understood that the openin s 13 lead directly to the atmospheric air. ach of the pedestals-11 is provided with a connecting sleeve 11' into which the ends of the air conveying pipes 10 lead, as indicated in Fig. 4, and

similarly the collecting header] is provided vwith a receiving sleeve 14 for the reception of the other ends of the conveying pi es 10. The arts consisting of the collecting header 7, t e conveying pipes 10 and the hollow pedestal 11 may be secured together in any suitable manner, but preferably in the man- 4 ner indicated in Figs. 4 and 5 wherein retaining rods 15 pass longitudinally through the pipes 10 and are attached at their left ends by means of ascrew-threaded connection 16 with bosses formed in the rear wall of the header .7. The frontend of the retainin rod 15 passes through and is attache to across-wise member or bar 17 the latter being of s'uflicient length to bridge the openings in the hollow pedestals 11 into which the pipes 10 lead and engaging. the

c openings so as to .form a firm, positiveretainmg means holding the pedestals 11, the'header 7! and conveying pipes 10 together. The rod has a few short bends as for example 15 to take care of uneven contraction andexpansion betwee-npipe 10 and the rod 15. The collecting header 7"is provided on its upper surface with a multi-- plicity of openings corres onding to the number of flexible and ad ustable heating pipes 9 desired, an upstanding collar or sleeve 18 being provided for each of these 7*. The, flexible tubes 9 are observed to fit closely adjacent and follow the rear contour of the fireplace for some distance upwardly and then to-cross the path of the products of combustion which ascend. from the hearth.-

- through the throat 3 of the chimney. At-

their upper ends these ipes 9 enter the distributing header 8, the atter being provided on its inner side with a multiplicity of openings corresponding to the number of heating tubes 9 to be employed. These openings are provided with inwardly turned edges 20 for the reception of the up er ends of the flexible heating tubes 9 an a suitable non-combustible sealing material 21 may be introduced if desired around the exterior .of the ends of the pipes 9 and within the inwardly turned edges 20-of the header 8. The header 8 in the particular embodiment shown comprises two separate and distinct parts 19 and 19, and these parts' are carried by the front plate bridging the top of the fireplace opening. The art 19 is-of trough 'like form and is provid with a dbwnwardly extending fiange onits-lower side for attachment to the interior of the carrying plate 45, as

for example by the bolt 46. The latter passes .through a similar flange of the part 19' .'..edge of the. wall 22 as indicated inKdotted and depth of the header 8. A suitable hand .which abuts against the outer surface of the plate 45. The part'19 of the header 8 is provided with a main lower wall 22 which may be curved in any manner desired and projeete upwardly into the room to deflect the heated air coming through the pipes 9 in an upward direction. To the up er wall 23 of the part-19 is 'ivotally secure a dam per control lid 24, t e latter. being adapted to engage at its lower end eitherthe upper lines, or the edge 25 of the upper wall of art 19 as indicated infull lines.

ter the room as indicated by the'arrows 26, whereas in the dotted position the room opening-is closed and the'heated air is per-":

mitted to flow directly through the-chimney throat as indicated b understood thatthe p ate 45 is provided with an opening in its topfs'ubstantially'the length other fuel ma In the"v ull .line position-. 'the heated air coming through the flexible pipes 9 is caused to enthe arrows 27. It is otally attached to the lid 24 as indicated for actuating the same to either of the positions indicated or in any intermediate position. To the lid 24 is also pivotally attached on the back side thereof a bent arm 29 with a weight 30 on the outer end thereof, this tending to retain thelid 24 in either of the actuated positions and particularly the position wherein the opening to the room is closed as indicated in dotted lines,- the weighted and bent arm in that manner counteracting the effect of gravity upon the lid 24. The upper part of header 8 'may be fastened in any suitable manner, as for example by means of the fastening devices 31. The pedestals 11 are indicated as dome shaped so as to have a comparatively extensive base or opening for ready assembly over the air intake connection 12 and for handling the large volume of air needed, and at the same time have a gradually decreasing size in anupward direction to avoid construction of] the fireplace and simulate andironv standards. The header 7' is provided with a V- shaped under surface 7 to enable the ends of the header 7 to rest firmly upon the hearth regardless of any unevenness therein and to permit the easy removal of ashes, and not interfere with usual ash dumps, etc. At 32 I have indicated a guard rail to prevent fire wood and other fuel from engaging and injuring the comparatively light and flexible conveying pipes 9, this guardrail 32 having its ends curved and bent downwardly as indicated and securely attached in any suitable manner to the header 7. The pedestals 11,the header 7 and the pi es 10 also serve as andirons upon which t e fire wood or be laced for a fire.

I have indicat in Fig. 3 generall the method of assembly and installation. I referably the whole apparatus is aseinbled as a unit, as indicated 1n Fig. 3, before installation theelements thereof having been selected and. cut or formed to conform to the a proximate measurements of the fireplace. uch measurements, however, may beonly approximate and need not be exact because 0 thecgnstruction and assembly 0 the apparatufigg'imcluding the flexible adjustable P P? assembled as indicated in Fig. 3 in ull lines; it m'ay be slid into the fireplace and the parts thereof adjusted to the contour of the replace in the manner indicated in Fig. 2; theheating' 'pi es 9 being flexible and adjustable" may e readily bent, shaped and adjusted not onlyto conform to thecontour of the fireplace. back, but also to adjust them with referelice to each other so as to secure the roper ventilating spaces therebetween fort eupward passage of products of combustion. In the articular embodiment illustrated, I have s own two spacer members 33 which are arranged cross-Wise of s '9. For example with the a paratus the tube S and have projections 33' 'structional features V pipes 10 and header 7.

pro-

jecting'between' the tubes to properly space them. They may be anchoredin position in any suitable manner, as for example by j 34 resting against .the rear. of the pipes 9,fiexible wires 34 or other retaining rods suitable connecting means connecting the spacers 33 with these retaining rods. flexible pipes 9 are preferably corrugated to increase their heating surface and these corrugations assist in maintaining the spacmg devices inthe adjusted position. The spacing devices 33"may be of any desired widths and sizes to obtain the desired spacing for each individual chimney and fire place and thefiexible and adjustable character of the heating pipes 9 and simple conof the apparatus contribute to the ready assembly and installation by the ordinary workman, no expert" mechanicians beingjnecessary. The pedestals 11 and the headers '2' and 8 may becast in integral pieces and theflexible pipes 9 and the conveying pipes 10 may be obtained in standard form and" cut to the desired lengths so that the whole apparatus may be economically constructed and assembled.

The standardbpirally wound flexible piping of'commerce' when properly selected as to utilized as thelaterally flexible tubes 9, and 1n this case the spirals form the corrugations above referredto. suitable metallic characterto resist burning and impairment due to heat but it is ob-' In Fig. 7 I have indicated a modification in which instead of havingfihe air intake openings 13 leading vertically downwardly from the pedestals 11, corresponding openings 13 are provided through the walls on the opposite sides of'the fireplace. In .thiscase the pedestals ll must be provided with additional side openings for connecting with the pipes 36 and 37 connected throug an elbow and leading to the openings 18'.

concentrating device for assisting fin,initiat-v ing the chimney draft and 's'tarting fires; This device consists ofan-adjustabl" a take pipe 40 which with the pipe 10 which lead The flexibility and lightness in weight may be The tubes may be of any tion with the atmosphere, header adapted to communicate wit h'either the room or directly withthe anddisposed at the top of the fire a plurality of flexibleand readily djustable phere. It is connected with the pipe 10 through an adjustable joint41 an -verti-' callyslidable connection 41' and at its free end is provided with an inverted cupshaped member 42 with ings 43 leading upward Normally the end 42 of the perforated open- 'y therethrough.

ashes. When .it is desired to initiate the draft with the starting of the fire, it is only necessary to lift the member 40 ,up to clear member 40 rests upon the hearth and is covered up with the ashes from the perforations 43 and hold i it directly below or adjacent to the starting fire. This-will set up a direct draft from the atmosphere -immediately in the neighborhood of the starting fire which will tend to accelerate the burning and the full draft.

After the fire is started, the member 40 may be again dropped down upon the hearth and the end 42,covered the draft through this open bottom of part 42 assures clearance of ashes etc.-at all times; Inthe particular embodiment of Figs. 1-6, the pipes 10 are illustrated as extending straight out, but in certain cases it may be desirable to bend them or attach elbows at their outer ends 'so as to have the pedestals 11 farther apart than the length 'of header 7. This is especially desirable 1n certain wider fireplaces, and with such bent or elbow connected pipes 10 it maybe desirwith ashes to stop able to incorporate some centering means for the tie'rod 15, such for example as projections whichengage the rods and are cast in the pipe centers. Having thus described my invention, wha

I claim and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is .1. A fireplace heater comprisingfan 'air from the air collecting header to the distributing headerfor effectively heatmg the atmospheric air. duringits passage there- .through to the" distributing header, said tubes being flexible and individually adjustable in situ to conform to the particular requirementsof the fireplace and to regulate the spaces therebetween. for the passage of theproducts of combustion.

e5 connection. The

2. A fireplace heater, and draft control I Icom rising a collecting'header disposed on In Figs. 8 and 9 I have i-llustrateda draft ace, and

chimnly throat a distributingv 100 or otherwise formed inside the elbows at the i bend (45 for example) to hold the rods wardly from the collecting" headerally adjustable in situ to conform to the reair heatin pipes leading upwardly from the air col ecting header to the distributing header.

3. A fireplace heater of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein the flexible air heating tubes are spaced from each other and retained in their spaced position by spacers. v

4. A fireplace heater of the. character set forth in claim 1 in which the flexible air heating tubes ,are of corrugated form and have spacers fixed to the corrugations thereof for spacing and retaining the tubes in spaced position.

5. A fireplace heater and draft control apparatus comprising 7 an air collecting header disposed on the hearth and having a direct communication with the atmosphere, a distributing header at the top of'the fireplace, a plurality of flexible and readily adustable air heating tubes leading upwardly from the air'collecting header to the distributing header and adamper control within the distributing header for directing the heated air either to the room or directly to the products of combustion chamber immediately above the tubes or both simultaneously.

6. A fireplace and room heater comprising a hollow pedestal leading directly to the atmosphere, an air collecting header communicating with said pedestal through a horizontal pipe and disposed on the hearth,

a distributing header carried atthe top of the fireplace and a plurality of closely disposed metallic air heating tubes leading upto t e distributing header and passing across the path of the ascending roducts of combustion, said tubes being exible and individuquirements of the particular fireplaceand to regulate the spaces therebetween for the upward passage of the products of combustion.

7. A fireplace and room heating apparatus comprising an'air collecting header and an air distributing header with flexible air heating tubes between the two headers which are adapted to be assembled as a unit outside of the fireplace and installed in operative position merely by insertingthesame within the, fireplace with the headers making suitable air connections and bending and adjusting the flexible tubes to follow the contour of the fireplace and across the path of the ascending products of combustion with the desired spacing therebetween.

8. A. fireplace heating apparatus having a. header anda spacedintake with a communi eating pipe therebetween and a retaining rod passing through said pipe and engaging said intake and said header for ositively. holding the parts in assembled position, said rod being of a character to yield in response to changes in temperature.

. position.

in the fireplace with the structure in communication with an openlar fireplace,

- .9. An apparatus of the character set forth in claim 8 in which the retaining rod embodies a bend intermediate its ends and at one endis carried by a cross arm bridging the opening of the communicating pipe'leading into the intake member.

10. An apparatus of the character set forth in claim 1 in which a'rigid guard rail is disposed in front of the flexible air heating tubes.

11. A fireplace heating apparatus including an air collecting header disposed on the hearth, an air distributing header disposed at the top of the fireplace, a multiplicity of air heating tubes connecting said headers and a damper control device carried by said distributin header and adapted to be actuated to 'di erent regulating positions, and a weighted arm pivotally attached to the damper control and bearing-by gravity upon a fixed part of the apparatus so as to retain the damping control means in the actuated 12. An a paratus of the character set forth in claim 6 wherein a rigid cross bar extends in front of the flexible heating tubes for the purpose set forth. I

13. A fireplace heater unit comprising an air collecting header disposed on the hearth, a distributing header disposed adjacent the top of the fireplace and a plurality of flexible metallic air heating tubes leading upwardly from the air collecting header to t e distributing header for effectively heating the .air during its passage therethrou h to the distributing header, said tubes tributing header with flexible laterally adjustable air heating tubes connecting the two headers,

which are adapted to be assembled as a unit outside of the fireplace and installed in operative position therewithin-merely by inserting the same withing leading to the atmosphere, and bending and laterally adjusting the flexible tubes to conform to. the requirements of the particuand with the desired spacing between the tubes to provide for the ascension therebe'tween of the products of combustion to effect an eflicient absorption of the. heat units therefrom by passage upwardly through the tubes.

y 15. A fireplace heater com rising an air collecting header, an outlet header and a hollow andiron eing readily and individually adjustable to 0011- heating operation.

through, said tubes being flexible and individually adjustable in situ to conform to the particular requirements of the fireplaceand to regulate the spaces therebetween for the passage of the products of combustion.

16. A fireplace heater comprising an air collecting connection, an outlet connection, a plurality of light air heating tubes disposed between the connections for effectively. heating the air during its passage therethrough, said tubes being flexible and individually adjustable in situ to conform to the particular requirements of the fireplace and to regulate the spaces therebe tween for the passage of the products of combustion, and a regulating and control device associated therewith forcinsuring a continuous 7 through the light flexible tubes uninterrupted flow of air during the 17 'In a fireplace heating apparatus, an air collecting connection, a plurality of an heating tubes leading upwardly from said vconnection and passing through the fire zone, and an air distributing header including a central supporting base plate. having an opening therein of substantially the depth and length of the header, an inner terminal member secured to the interior of' the plate over the lower part of the opening and receivingthe upper ends of the heating tubes, an outer member secured to the exterior of the base plate and embracing both the lower and upper parts of the opening in said plate, said outer member having an upwardly directed outlet for discharging the air into the. fireplace room and a control valve for closing either the outlet or the upper part of the opening in the base plate.

JOSEPH s. BENNETT. 

